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Go Jump in the Lake Sign

May 10, 2011

I kept seeing these adorable Go Jump In The Lake signs and knew immediately that my mom needed one for her lake house. The problem was that they were upwards of $75 or more...yikes! So I decided to try to make my own sign. I am absolutely thrilled with how it turned out!

For this project you'll need a piece of wood cut to the size you want. Mine is 24in x 24in and came pre-cut at Home Depot. They have larger sizes too and can cut it for you...but this one seemed to work just fine for me. You'll also need to cut out letters for your words. I used Ariel font and just printed out the letters on the computer and then cut them. Next you'll need to pick out your paint colors. I used Behr's Swan Wing for the back ground and Windwood Spring for the letters. I think I'm in love with Windwood Spring now.

The total cost for this project was under $12....not too bad! Oh, and you'll also need sand paper and a tiny brush, which I forgot to include in the photo.

First, paint your wood white. I used three coats but also watered it down a little because I wanted some of the wood to show through.

Next, measure and place your letters securing them with some tape. I measured the sides but mostly just eye-balled the spacing of the letters. Just remember as the Nester says, it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful!

Then just trace your letters with a pencil. I ended up going back and erasing the lines so that they were very faint. You don't want to see pencil marks on your final project.

Then go a head and start painting. This took FOREVER. Remember to use a small brush for this step. I used two coats of the Windwood Spring paint....the second coat goes on way easier than the first.

Then I let everything dry over night. The next day I went to town sanding and antiquing the letters and edges. I also sanded the white spaces here and there to make it look old.

So I hope you like this mom! If not, I totally won't mind keeping it for myself.

Meet Julie

Welcome to the Girl in the Red Shoes! I'm Julie...wife to Jon, mama to Hudson & Sadie, and lover of red shoes. Join me as I navigate this crazy fun journey of motherhood, working from home, being a #girlboss, and making friends along the way. I LOVE meeting new friends so don't be a stranger!